WestJet (WS, Calgary) has confirmed it is pursuing a separate air operator's certificate (AOC) for its nascent ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC).
Unveiled in April this year, the yet-to-be-named carrier will now commence operations in summer 2018 as opposed to later this year, Westjet said in a stock market disclosure.
"Since our initial announcement, we have undertaken numerous steps on our action plan to prepare for the launch of the ULCC, including establishing the core leadership team, applying for an air operator’s certificate and addressing initial regulatory requirements," it said. "We expect to announce the initial flight schedule in early 2018 with service expected to commence in the summer of 2018 on a fleet of ten high-density B737-800s."
The ULCC's market entry will coincide with that of rival Canada Jetlines (AU, Toronto Pearson) which has also pointed to a potential summer 2018 launch.
